Andre Ward returns to ring Nov. 16 vs. Rodriguez

LOS ANGELES—Andre Ward will fight Edwin Rodriguez on Nov. 16 in Ontario, Calif., returning to the ring after a 14-month absence.

Ward announced the bout with his fellow unbeaten 168-pounder on Friday.

Ward (26-0, 13 KOs) hasn't fought since stopping Chad Dawson on Sept. 8, 2012. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist cancelled a bout with Kelly Pavlik in January to undergo surgery on his right shoulder.

Ward already has beaten most of the world's top super middleweights, but Rodriguez (24-0, 16 KOs) emerged as a contender with two victories this year in Monaco, including an impressive first-round stoppage of Denis Grachev in July.

The Dominican-born Rodriguez fights out of Worcester, Mass.

HBO will televise the fight. Ward works as a boxing commentator for the network.